Worldpay reveals growing appetite for dining out at Christmas

Pubs and restaurants set for £6.5 million in Christmas Day spending

13 Dec 2018

LONDON, 13 December, 2018 – New data from the UK’s leading payments company Worldpay, has revealed a growing trend for eating out on Christmas Day. Analysis of consumer spending habits over the past two years has found restaurant spending on 25th December growing by 5.7% in 20171, with 10% of Brits planning to dine out on Christmas Day2.

According to research of 2,500 consumers, removing the hassle of cooking and washing up are the key drivers behind this trend. Meanwhile a third of consumers (32%) say that freeing up more time to spend with their family is the primary reason3.

A fifth of those surveyed claim that eating out at a restaurant actually saves money on cooking at home. Worldpay’s research found that people eating at home are expecting to spend on average £66.53 on groceries, while those planning to eat out are looking to spend just £64.144. With the cost of Christmas Dinner this year rising 6% compared to 20175, the findings suggest that staying at home may no longer be the cheapest option for thrifty families.

Worldpay’s data also found that the pre-turkey tipple is a growing tradition across the UK, with pub’s seeing a 16% increase in transactions on Christmas Day in 2017. Last year, pubs and restaurants raked in £6.5 million, despite shorter licensing hours, with spending peaking at 13:25 and punters spending £18.43 per transaction.

Steve Newton, Executive Vice President of UK and Europe at Worldpay added: “The festive season is a hugely important time for the hospitality trade - from the hordes of corporate Christmas parties in early December through to the traditional pre-lunch pint on Christmas Day - and consumers have high expectations of what it takes to make the season extra special. But savvy businesses must plan ahead to deliver the very best experience at peak times. Consider offering online booking capabilities and the option to pre-order food and drinks to streamline service on the day, so that guests can focus on socialising. Business owners should not forget - a customer is for life – not just for Christmas.”

Notes to editors:

About the data:

All card transaction figures quoted taken from analysis of card transactions processed by Worldpay in the UK on 25/12/15, 25/12/16 and 25/12/17. Predictions made based on 2017 figures.

Consumer research conducted on over 2,500 UK consumers by OnePoll on behalf of Worldpay November 2018.

About Worldpay

Worldpay, Inc. (NYSE: WP; LSE: WPY) is a leading payments technology company with unique capability to power global omni-commerce. With an integrated technology platform, Worldpay offers a comprehensive suite of products and services, delivered globally through a single provider. Worldpay processes over 40 billion transactions annually, supporting more than 300 payment types across 146 countries and 126 currencies. The company is focused on expanding into high-growth markets and customer segments, including global eCommerce, integrated payments and B2B. Visit us at www.worldpay.com.